A new virtual roommate device simulates a busy home to help prevent burglary

A Swiss start-up has created a new device to help prevent burglaries by simulating the lights and sounds of someone always being at home.

Called Mitipi, the system revolves around a virtual roommate called Kevin, which from a central control unit connected to a home’s WiFi is able to emit sounds and control lights to create the illusion that someone is at home.

The Zurich-based firm are shortly due to launch a crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter to help fund production of the device, and for now inner details of how it works remain unknown.

Mitipi have already stressed that the system is meant as a deterrent rather than a fully-fledged security system, pointing out it will not contain any sensors to detect anyone who does break in.

What is clear is that Kevin is essentially a smart speaker, and much like an Amazon Echo or Google Home is able to control smart, connected lights, but is also capable of emitting household sounds during the day once activated by a remote smartphone app.

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